Schiller: We All Need to do More to Improve our Schools

A few months ago, I was honored to accept the role of Executive Director for the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). After fully (and finally) settling in, I am grateful to announce that the Board unanimously approved my vision to embark on a bold evolution for CHPS. Here are some of the facts driving our need to double down on what is working, listen to what isn’t, and work collaboratively to develop new programs and solutions to ensure every student has an ideal learning environment:

Technically Speaking, CHPS is Here to Help

What does it take to have a high-performance school, one that prioritizes occupants' health, student performance, lower operational costs, and sustainable design? First it takes a robust group of school building professionals to develop and regularly update a set of technical criteria that acts as a playbook for building a high-performance school. Second, it requires a team of experts to work with design teams and school districts and review a school’s design and construction documentation to ensure that criteria is being met.  

At the Eye of a Storm: Resiliency of Moore Elementary School in the Path of Hurricane Harvey

CHPS Board Member & Chief Operations Officer of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Roy Sprague, recently published "At the eye of a Storm: Resiliency of Moore Elementary School in the Path of Hurricane Harvey" in the September 2018 issue of the Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly.

This intriguing article documents the resiliency of the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, located in northwest Houston, Texas, to withstand Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 and outlines the implementation of their hurricane preparation protocol to protect the district’s facilities and assets.

Sustainable Interior Design: CHPS Offers Guidelines to Design & Build Better Schools

CHPS Board Member and Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) Principal, Aaron Jobson, dives into four areas in which the CHPS Criteria provide guidelines and accountability for school designers. Featuring the recent completion of Cupertino High School’s new classroom and science lab buildings as a case study, he explains how the project is on track to meet CHPS Designed Certification, featuring daylighting, views, sustainable materials, and high performance lighting and mechanical systems.

Green California Summit: California on the Move

The 12th annual Green California Summit and Expo comes to the Sacramento Convention Center April 9-10, at a time when California is setting the pace for environmental protection efforts worldwide. “California is showing that dealing with climate is good for the economy — not bad,” Governor Jerry Brown has said. “It’s a culture that’s on the move — not pulling up the drawbridge out of fear and economic insecurity.”

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